At least one train driver has died and about 33 people have been reported seriously injured after two passenger train services collided in the Bedford area of the United Kingdom on Friday in what authorities have declared a major incident.
Bedford South became the scene of the collision involving two East Midlands Railway services.
The operator said its 16:40 service from Corby to London St Pancras collided with its 15:50 service travelling from Nottingham to London St Pancras.
In a statement, East Midlands Railway confirmed the fatality and the scale of the injuries, saying, “Tragically, this incident resulted in the fatality of an EMR driver and a number of injuries to passengers on board,” the rail company said in a statement.
Eyewitness accounts described chaotic scenes at the crash site. One passenger told the BBC it felt like a bomb blast, adding, “When I got up, I saw people’s bloodied faces and people’s legs looked broken and there was smoke everywhere”, he said.
Emergency responders mounted a large-scale operation, with more than 20 ambulances, six air ambulances, and specialist hazardous area response teams deployed to the scene in southeast England.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the incident as “hugely concerning” and praised the response of emergency services, writing on X, “First and foremost, my thoughts are with the family of the person who has sadly lost their life, and with those who have been seriously injured,” he said.
East Midlands Railway managing director Will Rogers said the operator was working closely with relevant authorities, including Network Rail, to support those affected and determine the cause of the crash.
“Once those directly impacted have been helped, we will make every effort to ascertain the cause in cooperation with the Rail Accident Investigation Branch,” he added.
